AP Resort Discounts Spring Break

[JungleCruiseFan]

Hi all, we are longtime Disney APs who just got AP for Universal for the first time this Christmas. We went 3 days from my in laws house and enjoyed our time enough that we want to stay onsite during spring break.
I’m having trouble looking for AP discounts, I follow the link on the Universal page for APs and it takes me to the hotel page and then after I put in my dates, April 1-7, no discounts for any resort show up. I keep reading about people getting good AP rates and want to be a part of that! Am I doing something wrong?
Just to make sure we get a room we booked a 2 bedroom suite at Surfside for a good prince using the Savy Traveler discount. If that’s where we end up and that’s what we pay we will be fine but would love to upgrade resorts with the AP discount and not pay double the price.
Thanks for any help, after knowing everything there is to know about Disney and staying at almost all of the resorts, many multiple times, I feel like I’m completely starting over with Universal and now I’m one of the hopeless newbs who haven’t got a clue!

 

[Rick195275]

Unfortunately I’ve yet to see AP rates for that time period and I’m not sure we will since they have already released rates for after that. It’s likely because of Easter, I haven’t seen any rates the first 2 weeks of April. I keep checking and hoping lol but so far there haven’t been any. The dates I’m looking at specifically seem to still hav availability in all room types so I’m hoping for a late release.

 

[JungleCruiseFan]

Unfortunately I’ve yet to see AP rates for that time period and I’m not sure we will since they have already released rates for after that. It’s likely because of Easter, I haven’t seen any rates the first 2 weeks of April. I keep checking and hoping lol but so far there haven’t been any. The dates I’m looking at specifically seem to still hav availability in all room types so I’m hoping for a late release.

Thanks. I thought for sure I was doing something wrong because like you there was availability everywhere, and coming from Disney APs I’ve yet to NOT get a discount every time we have gone for the past 10 years.

 

[Rick195275]

Thanks. I thought for sure I was doing something wrong because like you there was availability everywhere, and coming from Disney APs I’ve yet to NOT get a discount every time we have gone for the past 10 years.

No problem! As long as you’re searching from the passholder benefit link from the Uni website you should see them if they become available. The savvy traveler rates tend to be in the range of AP rates anyway so you’re probably not far off what you would get if rates were to release. We are just doing a 1 night stay while at Disney so no savvy traveler rate for us

 

[CAPSLOCK]

You may try playing with the dates a little - ie, there may be availability 4/1-4/4, or just 4/4-4/6, etc. Especially try playing with leaving off a Fri/Sat night as those are the least likely to have discounted AP rooms available. You might have more luck tacking 2 short stays together than trying to get the whole week as an AP rate.

 

[bearette]

We are looking at March 13-18 and I'm having the same issue. It sounds like they just don't have discounts at that time period.
If you have an AP do you still pay for parking in the hotel?

 

[Skywalker3]

We are looking at March 13-18 and I'm having the same issue. It sounds like they just don't have discounts at that time period.
If you have an AP do you still pay for parking in the hotel?

I've been looking at that week too! I FINALLY saw some AP rates pop up last week for premiers, but not for every day. Royal Pacific actually got into the low 400s. I almost booked 1 night, but didn't, and now they're back up, 600-800.. Portofino has Sunday night in the 400s, but we are not really sure if we're going. Currently have 2 nights booked at Surfside, but really wanted 2 nights at a premier. The other resorts do have AP discounts. I agree with playing with the nights, and maybe doing a split stay.

Yes, we do pay for parking at the hotels, even w AP. But I think the top 2 tiers of APs get free parking at Universal???

 

[bearette]

We could get the Monday through Friday stay at the Endless resorts with the AP discount, but the Friday didn't work. It would have saved $200. We booked without it at one of the others instead to be closer, but good tip for the future.

 

[cheapster316]

Has anyone booked the AP rate and changed your mind about buying AP when you get there. I am on the fence. I booked the room with the AP rate but plan to buy the pass when I get down there. Will I be able to check in and then buy it. If I don’t buy it will it default to rack rate

 

[Lynne G]

You can buy the pass when you are there. While I have never been asked to see it, you should be able to show your pass sometime during your stay if you are asked to see it. If they do ask, at check in, say you are buying it. I high doubt they will, but you never know.

Like any rate/price you get with a discount due to having a pass/ membership, you should be able to prove you are entitled to that discount either at time of service/or sometime during stay.


That’s what I do like about Universal, they do let you check and book the AP lower rate before you actually have that pass.

 

[wdwrule]

And just to add… I’ve been asked the first visit or two to show my AP at check in, or at least by check out. I’ve been multiple times since then and they rarely ask to see my AP. When I asked them if they wanted to see my AP, they said it was already in the computer system. So my guess is yes, they’ll ask you to show your AP by check out, at least during your first visit with an AP hotel rate. Once you do, it’s apparently in their system with the expiration date.

 

[Dawn Peterson]

I just got a lower AP rate for my Portofino Bay room for the week of March 19. It is $100 (including tax) a night cheaper than when I booked. It wouldn’t let me update my reservation though. I had to cancel and rebook but I saved $300.

 

[tony67]

I just got a lower AP rate for my Portofino Bay room for the week of March 19. It is $100 (including tax) a night cheaper than when I booked. It wouldn’t let me update my reservation though. I had to cancel and rebook but I saved $300.

Yeah - this is a bit of a pian - but well worth it

make sure you keep an eye out for your deposit refund. PB, HRH and RPR are pretty quick - but Aventura can take a LONG time and sometimes you have to call after two weeks

 

[CAPSLOCK]

It wouldn’t let me update my reservation though. I had to cancel and rebook but I saved $300.

Someone on DIS suggested adding a child to the reservation to let you update to the new price w/o having to rebook/cancel & wait for the refund. That works like a charm, assuming you are not already at max capacity for the room type. Then if you need to modify again, drop the phantom child, etc.

 

[Dawn Peterson]

Someone on DIS suggested adding a child to the reservation to let you update to the new price w/o having to rebook/cancel & wait for the refund. That works like a charm, assuming you are not already at max capacity for the room type. Then if you need to modify again, drop the phantom child, etc.

Thanks for the tip. I will try that next time.